A Picture For Her Baby Book!

If you have been following us for a bit, you know we have been struggling with Miss Wiggles and her walking. She started walking at 10 months...well ahead of developmental milestones. The problem was that almost a year later and she still looked like she had just learned how to walk...unsteady, lots of tumbles, etc. At first we thought she was limping. X-rays and blood work showed nothing. Then Daddy noticed her feet appeared to be turning in...both of them and at random times. So, the pediatrician referred us to an orthopedist (more to shut me up than out of real concern!) and the orthopedist actually started to dismiss our concerns as well...until he saw her walk!

But let me back up a bit...

I called the orthopedist's office for an appointment and had to wait two months only to have that appointment changed as well. In the meantime I called Early Intervention and got that ball rolling (you know me - I don't sit and wait!). EI saw significant delays in her gross motor but decided to wait for the orthopedist's evaluation to develop a plan. I shared this with the doubting doctor (who, by the way, was older than dirt and a bit scary!) who couldn't understand why I contacted EI since she was only 20 months old! Duh! EARLY intervention?

Anyway...he really made it seem like we were over-reacting to her walking issues and questioned what we thought we were seeing. And then she walked down the hallway! His mouth fell open! He immediately took us back in the exam room and gave her a thorough evaluation. His diagnosis? Her left hip has not developed correctly. It faces forward in the hip socket instead of turning in like most toddlers do by this age. As a result her feet are not turning in but her whole leg swings out when she walks to avoid the discomfort.

As hard as the diagnosis was to hear (although we felt justified!), the treatment is even worse! For at least the next six months she will need to wear special shoes connected with a bar at night as well as knee immobilizers. Physical therapy will be integral too. We will continue with strengthening exercises at home as well as ballet class. All this should help avoid surgery in ten years...which would had been the outcome if we hadn't pushed for her to be seen.

So Miss Wiggles has moved into our bedroom so we can comfort her (without disturbing Tater) when she is uncomfortable. And so that she can enjoy the A/C while wearing all her apparatuses! Mommy cried the first few nights but Wiggles adjusted well! She fusses because she's tired but doesn't seem to mind the equipment too much at all! She's still trying to get onto her belly to sleep but is slowly giving in to our wishes!

The best part? I was going to take away her Nuks this summer...and now she gets to keep them until she's done with the braces!